MEP Agius Saliba with proposals for enhanced protection of consumer rights

During a meeting of the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee whereby European Commissioner responsible for consumer rights and protection, Didier Reynders was present, MEP Alex Agius Saliba presented important proposals aimed at tackling recurring problems of many European consumers and businesses.

MEP Agius Saliba’s first proposal relates to the use of diesel particulate filters (DPF filters) by consumers and businesses in small European Union member states, including Malta. This proposal is intended to save thousands of euros in costs faced by owners of diesel cars.

Agius Saliba explained to the Commissioner that these filters are not having the same benefits when used in countries with short distances like Malta because they do not have the chance to be cleaned automatically, as when cars are used on longer distances. He said that this reduces the engine’s efficiency significantly and is resulting in additional costs for the owners of these vehicles who have to periodically incur a cost of replacing filters.

After the meeting, Agius Saliba said: “I have presented to the European Commission this formal proposal to make it mandatory for filters in dieselengine cars to be opened for regular cleaning, because the overwhelming majority of these filters cannot even be cleaned, thus obliging consumers to buy new filters that result in a regular cost of hundreds of euros. This proposal takes into account the situation of small countries such as Malta and protects Maltese consumers from additional costs that can be avoided through some common sense.”

At the same meeting, Agius Saliba also raised other concerns related to EU law which regulates the compensation of consumers in case they face problems related to air travel. He stressed that in case of cancellation, change of flights and excessive delay in departure times, consumers should have the right to full compensation and not be forced to accept vouchers.

To this end, the Labour MEP called on the European Commission to take immediate and concrete steps to ensure the protection of millions of passengers, in particular by revising the European Union legislative framework to provide for this compensation in order to reduce abuse by airlines.